_The Practical Nomad_ & savings strategies (part 1)

As some of my friends know, I have been devouring Edward Hasbrouck’s The Practical Nomad.

It’s probably the best how-to, what-happens-if, and what-the-eff-do-I-do-about-XYZ book I have seen yet. Not only is this guy a well-versed, intrepid traveler, he is also a Bay Area resident! If you have any interest at all in extensive (or even limited) world travel, definitely pick up this book.

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I’m definitely not the saver I need to be (yet), but I am on my way!

Late last year, I signed up for a Mint account (I know, I’m late on this one), and so far as I can tell from their detailed spending graphs, I spend a lot of money on coffee every day. On my way to work, between lunch and dinner, and sometimes on my way home — it all adds up to an incredible amount.

My average daily intake? about $6.30. Okay, you might be thinking that’s not much, and to many, coffee is an essential, not a luxury. But let’s take a closer look at those numbers:

Multiply intake by the 4 or 5 days a week I’m in the office and you get? $31.50 a week!

It gets worse – that averages out to $126 a month, and over $1500 will be spent by the time we leave. Thanks for the info, Mint, but what do I do about it? Unfortunately, this kind of financial info doesn’t go very far if you don’t know how to change your habits.

Luckily, this is an easy one. A lot of my coffee is consumed in transit anyway, so I purchased a mini French press coffee maker that will make only a couple cups at a time–perfect to top off a travel mug on my way out the door.

Now, now, the French press is not a new concept for me. I already have an 8-cup press, but I don’t have the time every morning to drink through it, nor do I want to waste 6 to 7 cups of coffee when I’m in a hurry. At USD$14 and coffee at about USD$8, this thing will pay for itself in a week.